Swim garment with built-in control support



Aug. 1, 1967 A. M. CQHEN ETAL SWIM GARMENT WITH BUILT-IN CONTROL SUPPORTFiled July 1, 1965 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR, I. u

CHTENST'E'IN ATTORNEYS 1957 A. M. COHEN ETAL 3,333,539

SWIM GARMENT WITH BUILT-IN CONTROL SUPPORT Filed July 1, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 5 llllllllliillfllm' I k I INVENTOR. \Kqs ARTHUR I.CHTENQTEIN B 1. YALBERT M. COHEN ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,333,589 SWIM GARMENT WITH BUILT-IN CONTROL SUPPORT Albert M. Cohen andArthur L Lichtenstein, Philadelphia,

Pa., assignors to Philtex Manufacturing Co., Philadelphia, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 1, 1965, Ser. No. 468,788 6Claims. (Cl. 128-519) This invention relates to a swim garment for malesand females in general but more particularly to mens swim trunks.

It is desirable for many people who are unfortunately too heavy belowthe waist to incorporate in a swim garment an inner member which willact as a girdle to lend proper support and improve the wearersapearance. It is the primary object of this invention to provide a swimgarment which includes an inner member or panty which serves not only asa girdle support but which is also exceptionally comfortable andprotective against exposure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mans swim trunks, eitherboxer, zip fit or swim-walk, which incorporates a support panty soconstructed as to provide strong, positive and effective takein of theabdomen, flexible soft support for the crotch and flexible softengagement of the waist thereby acting as a comfortable, neat appearingcontrol support garment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swim trunk of thecharacter described whose panty is so constructed that the leg openingsgrip the thighs, the bottom end of the back panel wraps around thecheeks and the crotch gusset wraps around the scrotal sack to thusassure complete coverage and support and avoid danger of exposurewithout sacrificing comfort.

Another object of the invention is to provide zip fit and swim-walktrunks which incorporate a control support panty of the characterdescribed which is so sewn into the trunks as to permit one to readilyand easily step into the panty and open and close the zip fly at will.

The foregoing objects are attained by a construction comprising an outerconventional trunk and an inner panty sewn to the waist thereof, thepanty including a full back panel which extends from the waist to thebottom of the crotch and a front panel which extends from the waist tothe top of the crotch, which panels are made of power net which hasmaximum horizontal stretch and minimum vertical stretch, a crotch gussetconnecting the front and back panels which is made of a soft materialand has maximum vertical but minimum horizontal stretch, leg openingspreferably of the soft thigh-gripping type and a waist portion connectedto the upper ends of the front and back panels which includes a softmaterial that has maximum horizontal stretch and minimum verticalstretch.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent asthe following description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the boxer type of mens swimmingtrunks incorporating the present invention, the outer trunk being shownin phantom;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the power net, as shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a zip fit type of mens swimming trunksincorporating the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of a walk-swim type of mens swimmingtrunks incorporating the present invention.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings wherein similar referencecharacters are used for corresponding elements throughout.

Referring first to the boxer type swim trunks shown 3,333,589 PatentedAug. 1, 1967 ice in FIGS. 1-3, the same comprises an outer conventionalmember 10 made of any desirable material and design, and including awaist portion 12, front and back portions 14 and 16 and leg openings 18,and an inner control panty 20.

The panty 20 is shorter and not as full as the outer member and includesa waist portion, a body portion, a crotch portion and leg openings. Thewaist portion includes a horizontally stretchable conventional tape orwaist band 22 which is sewn at its upper edge as at 24 to the upper edgeof a further waist member 26 which is wider than the tape and thereforeextends below the lower edge 28 of the tape. The waist member 26consists preferably of two plies of spun and filament nylon to give itelasticity and a soft texture for comfort, the waist member being sooriented as to have maximum stretch horizontally and minimum orvirtually no stretch vertically. The tape or band 22 is enclosed as isthe upper portion of the waist member 26 within the waist portion 12 ofthe outer member and sewn thereto in a conventional manner.

The lower edge of the waist member 26 is sewn as at 30 to the upper edgeof the body portion which comprises a back panel 32 and a front shorterpanel 34. The back panel extends all the way down to the bottom of thecrotch and is full thereat as at 36, i.e. it does not taper sharply andinwardly, so that the back panel can wrap around the cheeks. The frontpanel 34 which is approximately half as long as the back panel, isstitched at its upper edge to the lower edge of the waist member 26 andis stitched along the sides as at 38 to the back panel. Both the frontand back panels are of power net construction 40, see 'FIG. 3, which, asis known in the trade is made of spandex and nylon, is stifl'er than thespun and filament nylon of the waist member 26, and offers highresistance when stretched, i.e. it has rapid and virtually completerecovery. The front and back panels are oriented to have maximum stretchhorizontally and minimum or virtually no stretch vertically.

The crotch portion comprises a gusset 42 which is sewn at its upper edgeas at 44 to the lower edge of the front panel 34 and at its lower edge46 to the loweredge of the back panel 32. The crotch gusset, like thewaist member 26, is made of two plies of spun and filament nylon forsoft texture and is oriented to have maximum stretch vertically andminimum or virtually no stretch horizontally.

The side edges of the back panel and the crotch gusset and portions ofthe lower edge of the front panel are so shaped as to cooperate to formleg openings 48. The leg openings are hemmed or finished by using latexbanding so that they will softly grip the thighs. The seams at 30, 38and 46 are all safety stitched to avoid cracking. The width of thecrotch gusset 42 and the shape of its side edges, so to provide a bowedportion 50 adjacent its lower edge 46, are such as to produce astructure in which the gusset wraps around the scrotal sack and the legopenings 48 wrap around the thighs to assure complete coverage and avoiddanger of exposure.

The overall construction of the panty is such that the abdomen below thewaist is firmly taken in by the front and back panels 32 and 34, thecrotch is gently suspended and protected by the gusset 42 and the waistis comfortably engaged by the flexible waist member 26.

The zip fit trunks shown in FIG. 4 differ from the boxer shown in FIGS.l3 only with respect to the front of the outer member 10 and the mannerof securing the panty 20 to the waist 12. Thus, the front of outermember 12 is provided with a zippered fly 52 and a front waist portion53 which can be opened and closed by button, hook or any other means asis conventional.

The horizontally stretchable two-ply spun and filament nylon waistmember 26 is sewn to the upper edges of the front and back power netpanels 32 and 34 as at 54 but instead of going all around, the waistmember is discontinued in the front to provide free edges 56 on bothsides of the fly 52. An elastic tape 58 is terminally secured to V theedges 56 of the waist member 26 as at 60. The waist member 26 is sewn tothe waist 12 of the outer member as at 62 above the seam 54 joining theupper edge of the front and back panels to the waist member 26, but thetape 58 is not sewn to the waist 12 and remains connected only to thefront panel 34. Thus, when the fly is open panty 20 to the waist 12 ofthe outer member is some-.

what different. 7

Thus, .as in the construction of FIG. 4, the soft horizontally orwidthwise flexible two-ply spun and filament nylon waist member 26 issewn as at 54 to the upper edges of the front and back power net panels32 and 34 and extends around but is discontinued in the front to formfree edges 56 on both sides of the fly 52 which are joined by an elastictape 58. The upper edge of the rear portion of the waist member 26 issewn as at 62 to a central buckram 64 and to a pair of elastic tapes 66on both sides of the buckram to which the tapes are also secured as at68. The upper portion of the Waist member 26 and the tapes 66 andbuckram 64 are sewn into the waist 12 of the outer member as at 70 abovethe seam 54 joining the lower edge 7 of thewaist member to the front andback panels except that the front tape 58 is unconnected to the waist 12of the outer member but remains connected only to the waist member 26 toallow the panty to stretch widthwise when the fly is open so that onecan readily step into the panty.

While preferred embodiments have here been shown and described, it willbe understood that skilled artisans may make minor variations withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. A swim garment comprising an outer member having front and backportions joined to form a waist at their upper ends and leg openings attheir lower ends and an inner support panty, said panty including a bodyportion having a back panel and a shorter front panel both of power netconstruction having maximum hori zontal stretch and minimum verticalstretch and providing high resistance to stretch for positive takein ofthe abdomen, stretchable means securing the upper edges of said panelsto said waist of said outer member, and a crotch gusset made of amaterial softer and more flexible 'than said panels and having maximumvertical stretch and minimum horizontal stretch thereby providingcomfort as well as allowance for variation in body build,

said crotch gusset being secured between the lower edges 4 of said frontand back panels, said panty including leg openings below said frontpanel and to the sides of said crotch gusset.

2. The garment of claim 1 wherein said crotch gusset is made of twoplies of spun and filament nylon.

3. The garment of claim 1 wherein said stretchable means securing theupper edges of said panels to said waist includes a material softer andmore flexible than said panels and having maximum horizontal stretch andminimum vertical stretch;

4. A swim garment comprising an outer member having front and backportions joined to form a Waist at their upper ends and leg openings attheir lower ends 2 and an inner support panty, said panty including abody portion having a back panel and a shorter front panel both of powernet construction having maximum hori zontal stretch and minimum verticalstretch and providing high resistance to stretch for positive take in ofthe abdomen, means securing the upper edges of said panels to said waistof said outer member, including a waist member made of two plies of spunand filament nylon having maximum horizontal stretch and minimumvertical stretch, and a crotch gusset made of two plies of spun andfilament nylon having maximum vertical stretchand minimum horizontalstretch thereby providing comfort as well as allowance for varation inbody build, said crotch gusset being secured between the lower edges ofsaid front and back panels, said panty including leg openings below saidfront panel and to the sides of said crotch gusset.

5. A swim trunk comprising an outer member having front and backportions joined to form at waist atltheir upper ends and leg openings attheir lower ends, a fly in said front portion adapted to open and closesaid waist, an inner support panty including a body portion having aback panel and a shorter front panel both of power net constructionhaving maximum horizontal stretch and minimum vertical stretch, a bandmade of a material of softer texture than said panels and having maximumhorizontal stretch and minimum vertical stretch, said band beingconnected between the upper edges of said panels and said waist, andterminating in free ends on both sides of said fly, an elastic tapesecuring said free ends of said band but unsecuredto said waist, and acrotch gusset made of a material 'of softer texture than said panels andhaving maximum vertical stretch and minimum horizontal stretch, saidcrotch gusset being secured between the lower edges of said front andback panels, said panty including leg openings below said front paneland to the sides of said crotch gusset.

6. The trunk of claim 5 wherein said band and said crotch gusset aremade of two plies of spun and filament nylon.

' References Cited UNITEDJSTATES PATENTS 2,717,388 9/1955 7 Rutledge128579 2,983,924 5/1961 Cohen et al. 267 3,246,342 4/1966 Pagano 2227ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

5. A SWIM TRUNK COMPRISING AN OUTER MEMBER HAVING FRONT AND BACKPORTIONS JOINED TO FORM AT WAIST AT THEIR UPPER ENDS AND LEGS OPENINGSAT THEIR LOWER ENDS, A FLY IN SAID FRONT PORTION ADAPTED TO OPEN ANDCLOSE SAID WAIST, AN INNER SUPPORT PANTY INCLUDING A BODY PORTION HAVINGA BACK PANEL AND A SHORTER FRONT PANEL BOTH OF POWER NET CONSTRUCTIONHAVING MAXIMUM HORIZONTAL STRETCH AND MINIMUM VERTICAL STRETCH, A BANDMADE OF A MATERIAL OF SOFTER TEXTURE THAN SAID PANELS AND HAVING MAXIMUMHORIZONTAL STRETCH AND MINIMUM VERTICAL STRETCH, SAID BAND BEINGCONNECTED BETWEEN THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID PANELS AND SAID WAIST ANDTERMINATING IN FREE ENDS ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID FLY, AN ELASTIC TAPESECURING SAID FREE ENDS OF SAID BAND BUT UNSECURED TO SAID WAIST, AND ACROTCH GUSSET MADE OF A MATERIAL OF SOFTER TEXTURE THAN SAID PANELS ANDHAVING MAXIMUM VERTICAL STRETCH AND MINUMUM HORIZONTAL STRETCH, SAIDCROTCH GUSSET BEING SECURED BETWEEN THE LOWER EDGES OF SAID FRONT ANDBACK PANELS, SAID PANTY INCLUDING LEG OPENINGS BELOW SAID FRONT PANELAND TO THE SIDES OF SAID CROTCH GUSSET.